The total value of those loans was down by an even larger percentage, from $161 million in November to $96 million, a decline of 40 percent.

By contrast, Sarasota County's largest lenders issued 18 percent more loans worth 55 percent more in December, compared with the previous month. There were 688 loans in December totaling $166.5 million.

Manatee's biggest player by dollar value in December was Wells Fargo, which issued 110 loans valued at about $18.3 million. Quicken Loans was second, with 52 loans valued $13.7 million, and Platinum Bank third with 6 loans for $11 million. Fourth was Bank of America, with 57 loans valued at $10.5 million, and JPMorgan Chase, fifth, with 66 loans valued at $9.3 million.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - The county's largest lenders did not show the same pickup in mortgage loans from November to December that occurred in Sarasota County.</p><p>Manatee's biggest lenders originated 434 mortgages last month, a 9 percent drop from November.</p><p>The total value of those loans was down by an even larger percentage, from $161 million in November to $96 million, a decline of 40 percent.</p><p>By contrast, Sarasota County's largest lenders issued 18 percent more loans worth 55 percent more in December, compared with the previous month. There were 688 loans in December totaling $166.5 million.</p><p>Manatee's biggest player by dollar value in December was Wells Fargo, which issued 110 loans valued at about $18.3 million. Quicken Loans was second, with 52 loans valued $13.7 million, and Platinum Bank third with 6 loans for $11 million. Fourth was Bank of America, with 57 loans valued at $10.5 million, and JPMorgan Chase, fifth, with 66 loans valued at $9.3 million.</p><p>Rounding out the list was BB&T (43 loans, $8.7 million), SunTrust (33 loans, about $7 million), Regions Bank, (28, about $6 million), USAmeriBank (4, $5.74 million) and Real Estate Mortgage Network (35, $5.7 million).</p><p>Meanwhile, Manatee's largest non-bank mortgage lenders also originated slightly fewer mortgages in December than one month before: 188 compared with 192 in November.</p><p>The dollar value also was down, at $40.2 million, compared with $41.9 million in November.</p><p>The Fair Funding Group had 18 loans valued at about $4.3 million, while Taylor Morrison Home Funding had 15 worth $2.8 million.</p><p>Nationstar Mortgage had 15 valued at $2.7 million; Universal American Mortgage (16, $2.45 million); PHH Home Loans (13 loans, $2.4 million); MSC Mortgage, a division of regional brokerage Michael Saunders & Co. (six loans, $2.3 million); Sunbelt Lending Services (12 loans, $2.1 million); Van Dyk Mortgage Corp. (six loans, $1.7 million).</p>